The deputy president showed no signs of abating his criticism of corruption or the decay of the ANC.
The ANC in Gauteng has officially nominated Cyril Ramaphosa to replace president Jacob Zuma at the party’s national conference in December, with an overwhelming majority of 374 branch nominations.
Former African Union (AU) commission chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was nominated by 67 branches for the position of president.
The branch nominations were consolidated and announced at the the ANC’s provincial general council on Saturday in Irene, Centurion.
The conference hall at St. George’s Hotel erupted as Gauteng chairperson Paul Mashatile was nominated by 384 nominations, beating International Relations minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane who received 21 nominations.
The province’s branch nominations are a replica of Ramaphosa’s slate, but once again Human Settlements minister Lindiwe Sisulu emerged as the favourite for the position of deputy president. Sisulu received 182 nominations, beating treasurer Zweli Mkhize, who was nominated by 109 branches.
Former ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Senzo Mchunu was nominated secretary general by 341 branches. The ANC Free State chairperson Ace Magashule received the second most nominations for the position with 68 branches backing him. Vuyiswa Tulelo, the ANC Youth League former secretary, was nominated as deputy secretary general of the party.
The current secretary general, Gwede Mantashe, was nominated national chairperson ahead of Arts and Culture minister Nathi Mthethwa, with 328 branches backing him.
Gauteng is now the fourth ANC provincial structure to officially nominate Ramaphosa, with the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape already announcing him as their preferred candidate.
The Free State and North West provinces nominated Dlamini-Zuma to become the next president.
‘Unity‘ received the most nominations in Mpumalanga for the position of president, followed by Dlamini-Zuma with 123 and Cyril Ramaphosa with 117.